---0---0--- SCENARIO 02 ---0---0---

Three solid hours later, the bus finally reached the city of Gracemeria on the southern seaboard of the peninsula. The bus eventually stopped in front of the Pokemon Center and, luckily, it was right next to the Pokemon contest hall. May quickly jumped over the last step of the bus and ran towards the contest hall faster than the speed of light. Her running even left a trail of dusty smoke along her path. Ash and the others soon followed but they went to the contest hall in a more orderly fashion.

"Wow, I've never seen her so worked up about a local contest before." Dawn said.

"Who hasn't?" Brock replied. "May's always eager even if it is just a small-scale contest…which reminds me, aren't you going to sign up?"

Upon hearing those words, the sunny sunshiny Dawn everybody knew suddenly became gloomy on a rainy day. She walked to the nearest corner of the hall and there she sulked to her heart's desire. Sulking and sulking and sulking…

"Was it something I said?" Brock asked himself.

Ash whispered a few words into Brock's ear which made the latter realize his mistake. It seemed that Dawn never made it to the registration on time back at Rosario City…and it was imperative in the Nakurei Region that coordinators should register in the border cities before competing in any of the Pokemon contests across the region.

"Oh I see…I forgot about that." The breeder apologized. "Sorry Dawn."

Despite the odds, May was able to sign up for the Gracemeria City Pokemon Contest with just enough time left for the gang to grab some lunch before the contest…and contradictory to what Dawn said a while ago, this is the biggest contest in the region where one can use three Pokemon; one for the qualifying, elimination, and final rounds.

"That was too close for comfort." She said.

"So, which Pokemon did you sign up?" Ash asked. "I heard that you are entitled to three Pokemon."

"I'm going with the usual but it's Chikorita and me in the finals." May replied; overflowing with confidence.

"Chikorita…? But you just caught that!"

"It will be good experience for the cute little fellow. Isn't that right, Chikorita?"

The leaf Pokemon hopped aboard May's shoulder and cuddled her face. She had her share of losses during her first few days as a Pokemon coordinator but she was confident that she was going to win this one—the biggest regular contest in the region.

---0---

Having eliminated the threat off the eastern coast of the peninsula, the two delta planes pulled out from the airspace and flew back to the airbase. They don't consider coming home alive as a lucky break but sadly it's their job—their deadly job.

"You're going to kill yourself with those mad stunts of yours, Mikhail." Terry said over the radio. "I almost shot you down."

"I can't help it." Mikhail replied. "They were on my six."

"Besides, you still owe me a new DVD player."

"Aw come on, that thing was rickety old. Can't I just treat you to lunch or something cheaper?"

"No!"

An hour later, the two planes made it back safely to base…unaware of an approaching danger coming from the south in the form of a huge flying wing armed with weapons of war from top to bottom; heading dead straight for the city. It seemed as if today's skirmish was nothing more but a warning of something bigger coming their way.

---0---

The Pokemon contest was about to start. The registered contestants gathered inside a room backstage to wait for their turn to demonstrate their shock and awe. Of course, this was no ordinary local contest. Just by looking at the stiff competition, May was going to have a hard time getting that ribbon on top of the first place pedestal behind the panel of judges. Normally, she wouldn't feel any pressure when it comes to local contests but this was an exception. For starters, her opponents didn't look like novices. Most of them even have two or three regional ribbons already. Immediately, May felt like the odd one out.

"(No! Stay focused, May. You can do this. You can do this. Just take a deep breath…and take the plunge.)"

The contest hall was packed with people. Ash, Dawn, and Brock were watching from the lower box where it was closest to the contest ring. The contest was about to start—and May was first in line for the preliminary round.

"Munchlax, it's time to come out and play!" The brunette coordinator sent out her first Pokemon then threw two huge ice balls in the air. "Let's start off with Solar Beam!"

Unfortunately, Munchlax belayed the order as soon as the Pokemon sensed something in the air…and it wasn't the smell of a fourteen-course buffet.

"Munchlax, what's wrong?" May asked.

She got her question answered by a mysterious voice echoing across the hall.

"Attention, all civilians. Gracemeria will be ours for the taking."

"What? What's going on?" Dawn demanded answers from her two seatmates.

Then, the crowd heard several loud explosions outside the contest hall as if a bombing run was taking place. The siren of an air raid bellowed across the city followed by the sounds of car alarms going off. Eventually, the contest hall was rocked by the aftershock of the exploding ordinance. Security rushed in to quell the public panic and lead them to a safe hiding place.

"Everyone please calm down and proceed to the subterranean bunkers in an orderly fashion." That was supposed to be the plan but the people inside rushed in the bunkers with a bit of pushing and pulling action between them. Ash, Dawn, and Brock met up with May at the contest ring before proceeding to the bunkers.

"Guys, what's going on?" May asked. "Why are there explosions everywhere?"

"We'll find out later." Brock replied. "Right now, we need to get to safety."